While caught up in the negativity of the Ohio pro-abortion constitutional amendment that was passed yesterday, some good news went amiss. While some groups of people are working to enshrine abortion as a God-given right into our society, others, thankfully, are working to oppose it. That often underrated group is known as the abortion abolitionists.

Such men and women have worked tirelessly over the last decade or so to, against all odds, create an environment in the Church where even the notion of abortion is unacceptable on any grounds. After years of work, much progress has been made on this ground and many mainstream Evangelical groups are beginning to see the profound biblical truth that underlies abolitionist ideology. The most recent of them are the North Carolina Baptists.

In a resounding affirmation of the sanctity of life, North Carolina Baptists have set a precedent of conviction with the nearly unanimous passage of a resolution that seeks to protect the lives of all unborn children—without exception or compromise. This bold move is not merely a statement of belief but a clarion call for the church and society at large to recognize the inherent value and dignity bestowed by God on every human being from the moment of conception.

The resolution, known as the Resolution on Equal Protection For The Preborn, passed with thunderous support and echoes the profound truth that every life is a divine creation. “We affirm that all human life is a gift from our Creator that begins at conception and that we must speak on behalf of all life, including the life of the unborn,” the resolution proclaims, capturing the essence of the biblical mandate that recognizes life as a sacred gift that no person has the right to end.

By taking this stand, NC Baptists are engaging in far more than mere political discourse—they are reverberating the voice of the Scriptures which assert the formation of life as an intentional and personal act of God. The book of Psalms beautifully articulates this when it says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psalm 139:13). The passage of this resolution is a testament to the belief that God is intimately involved in the creation of every person, making each life precious and worthy of protection.

The resolution not only asserts a doctrinal stance but also a commitment to actionable faith. “Therefore, be it resolved that we, the messengers to the […] Baptist State Convention […] do hereby state our opposition to the unjust killing of any unborn child and our support for laws that seek to end abortion,” it states emphatically. This is more than just moral positioning, it is a pledge to stand for what is right and to act upon these convictions in pursuit of justice and mercy.

What is profoundly striking about this resolution is its unyielding resolve to acknowledge life at all stages as a reflection of the Creator’s image. The document reminds us that “all people—born and unborn—are made in the image of God and, as such, are to be valued and protected,” affirming the biblical tenet of the Imago Dei, the belief that all human beings, regardless of their developmental stage, bear the image and likeness of God and therefore possess intrinsic worth.

NC Baptists, finally, are sending a powerful message to the world—a message that life is not a human commodity, but a divine trust. By adopting this resolution, they are drawing a line in the sand, standing against the tides of cultural convenience and moral relativity, and even against the mainstream Evangelical pro-life movement, with an unwavering commitment to uphold the truth amidst a society that clearly devalues life.

We commend the NC Baptists recognizing that this move resonates with the words of the prophet Isaiah, who declared, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow” (Isaiah 1:17). This rallying cry for the defense of the most vulnerable among us—the unborn—is a cause that aligns with the heart of God, who is both the giver of life and its ultimate defender.

In the passing of this resolution, North Carolina Baptists have demonstrated their allegiance to the Gospel, their reverence for the Author of life, and their fervent desire to see a society transformed by the renewing of minds to the mind of Christ—where every life is cherished, and every child welcomed into the world as a unique and purposeful creation of God Almighty.

While the resolution was modified from the original, the modified version is still extremely strong and powerful and sets a precedent for other Baptist organizations to follow suit. The entire text of the resolution as passed, according to Abolish Abortion NC, is below:

1) WHEREAS Scripture unequivocally declares every child in the womb is made in God’s image and is entitled to equal protection under the law, and Scripture furthermore explicitly forbids all murder, commands civil magistrates to bear the sword of justice without partiality, and commands each of us to love our neighbors as ourselves with particular regard for orphans, widows, and those in weak societal positions; and (Gen. 1:27, Ex. 21:22-25, Gen. 9:6, Ex. 20:13, Lev. 19:15, Ps. 82:3, Mrk. 12:31)

2) WHEREAS as a part of the Great Commission our Lord Jesus has commanded us to make disciples of all nations and teach them to observe all things He has commanded, and since God has decreed “You Shall Not Murder” not one single created being has the authority to transgress, add to, detract from, or pervert this eternal decree and those who do should immediately repent and believe the Gospel; and (Matt. 28:19-20, Rom 11:33, Deut. 4:2, Jas. 1:17-18, 1 Jn. 3:4-6)

3) WHEREAS since 1974 the number one cause of death annually in North Carolina continues to be legalized abortions happening in accordance with current North Carolina laws; and since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, there has been slow political resolve to see abortion outlawed in North Carolina; and (Isa. 10:1-3, Jas. 4:17, Hab. 1:2-4, Rom. 13:3-4, Job 34:10-21, Prv. 25:26)

4) WHEREAS North Carolina Baptists, NC Baptist Executive Leaders and the Christian Life and Public Affairs Committee of the NC Baptist Board of Directors have fought for the value of the preborn through the funding and placement of five ultrasound machines in pregnancy resource centers throughout NC just since 2022; and North Carolina Baptists and Baptist churches and have been engaged in the fight for preborn life through support of pregnancy resource centers, engagement in adoption and foster care initiatives, involvement in legal advocacy at the local, state, and national level, and investment in varieties of local ministries engaged with valuing all life from the womb to tomb; now therefore, be it (Deut 30:19, Ps 119:73, Ps. 139:13-16, Is. 44:24)

5) RESOLVED that we as the messengers of the BSCNC meeting November 6-7, 2023 in Greensboro, NC, will advocate for the equal protection of the preborn and justice under our laws, that we will not stop in our legal efforts until the day when abortion is both illegal and unthinkable; and be it further (1 Cor. 5:6-7, Ps. 89:14, Mic. 6:8, Prv. 31:9, 2 Tim. 4:2, Acts 10:42, Acts 20:27, Mrk. 13:10)

6) RESOLVED that we humbly confess and lament holding any mindsets that legitimize or justify abortion, that we humbly confess and lament any apathy in not laboring with the power and resources granted to us by God to act for the preborn and to end legalized abortion in its entirety, and that we humbly confess and lament any lack of grace and compassion for all those participating in and impacted by abortion whose greatest need is the grace and forgiveness ofJesus; and be it further (Ps. 51:10-12, Ps. 119:97-104, Rom. 12:9-12, Rev. 3:15-16, Eph. 5:16, Gal. 6:9, 1 Jn. 3:18)

7) RESOLVED that we, our churches, and our ministries must love both our born and preborn neighbors by continuing steadfast in our commitment to pursue pure and undefiled religion toward both mothers and children prayerfully, financially, and in practice through pregnancy resource centers, counseling, fostering, adopting, direct interposition where possible, and other available means; and be it finally (Jas. 1:27, Eph. 2:10, 1 Jn. 3:16-18, Heb. 13:16, Matt. 6:1-4, Jer. 22:3)

8 ) RESOLVED that establishing equal justice and protection under our laws for the preborn children of North Carolina, from fertilization to birth, will be among the top priorities of ourselves, our churches, and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.